Act I

Paris, 1850. The courtesan Violetta Valéry is hosting one of her lavish parties. Gastone, one of the guests, introduces his friend Alfredo Germont to her. He has been an ad­mirer of Violetta for a long time, and while she was ill would come every day to ask how she was. Violetta is impressed by his honest devotion. As he leaves she gives him a camellia she is wearing and tells him he may return to her when it wilts – that is, the following day! Alfredo’s words linger in her mind: might she allow a ­serious love to enter her life, or should she continue to rush from one Parisian pleasure to another?

Act II

Violetta and Alfredo have been living together in a house in the country near Paris for three months. She has given up her former life and without Alfredo’s knowledge has sold the greater part of her possessions. When Alfredo finds out about this, he rushes off to Paris to prevent any further sales.

While he is gone, his father Giorgio Germont appears and asks Violetta to leave Alfredo. Alfredo’s sister is betrothed, and her fiancé will break off their engagement if her brother continues with his scandalous lifestyle. Germont remains resolute even when Violetta tells him she is incurably ill. Finally Violetta consents and asks Germont to tell his daughter of the sacrifice she has made.

Violetta is writing a farewell letter when Alfredo unexpectedly returns. She wants to hear him say one more time that he loves her, then she leaves him. When Alfredo receives the letter, his father is there to comfort him. He wants to take him back to his home and family in Provence. Unmoved by his father’s request, Alfredo follows Violetta to Paris.

Interval

Accompanied by her former lover Baron Douphol, Violetta is attending a party at the home of Flora Bervoix. Alfredo is also there. There is a dispute with Douphol over a game of cards; Alfredo wins the game. In front of the entire company, he throws his winnings at Violetta’s feet, in payment for the time they had together. Alfredo’s father observes the scene with horror – he understands Violetta’s nobility of character and rebukes his son.

Act III

Now in deepest poverty, Violetta lies on her deathbed, with only her servant Annina and Doctor Grenvil to care about her. The merry sounds of the carnival are heard from outside. Violetta has received a letter from Germont: Alfredo has wounded Baron Douphol in a duel and has had to leave Paris for a while. Germont promises that he will return with Alfredo. But they are too late. Violetta dies.

Set in and around Paris in about 1850.

Act I

Violetta Valéry, a Parisian courtesan, greets the guests at her salon. Among them are Flora Bervoix, the Marchese D’Obigny, Baron Douphol and Gastone, who introduces Violetta to a new admirer of hers, Alfredo Germont. The young Germont, who has been admiring her from afar, joins her in a drinking song. An orchestra strikes up in an adjacent room, inviting the guests to dance. As the guests make their way to the ballroom, Violetta, who is suffering from consumption, feels faint; she therefore sends the guests on ahead and retires to her boudoir to recover. Alfredo enters and, realising that they are alone, admits his love for her. She replies that love means nothing to her. She
is, however, touched by the young man’s sincerity and promises to meet him the following day.
When the guests have departed, she asks herself whether Alfredo is the man she could love. Despite
the strains of Alfredo’s love song drifting in from outside, she decides she prefers her freedom.

Act II

scene 1
A few months later: Alfredo and Violetta have set up house together in the country, outside Paris. Alfredo says how happy they are, but when Violetta’s maid Annina lets on that Violetta has been selling her belongings to pay for the house, he hastens into town to raise the money himself. Violetta comes in search of him and discovers an invitation from her friend Flora to a soirée that very night. Violetta has no intention of returning to her former life, but she is forced to reconsider
on encountering Alfredo’s father. He is very taken with Violetta and her civilised manners but orders her to renounce Alfredo: his son’s scandalous liaison with Violetta is threatening his daughter’s forthcoming marriage. Violetta considers his demand unreasonable, but before long Germont succeeds in persuading her. Alone and desolate, Violetta sends a reply to Flora accepting her invitation and sits down to write a farewell letter to Alfredo. His return takes her by surprise, and she can barely restrain herself as she passionately reminds him how much she loves him before
rushing out. As the maid brings him Violetta’s farewell letter, Germont returns to console his son and reminds him of life in their family home in Provence. Alfredo spots Flora’s invitation and suspects that Violetta has left him for another man. In a rage, he decides to confront her at the soirée.

scene 2
At the soirée, Flora hears from the Marchese that Violetta and Alfredo have parted. Flora asks the guests to make way for a visiting troupe of performing gypsies. They are followed by matadors and a song about Piquillo and his sweetheart. Alfredo rushes in and delivers some bitter comments about love and gambling. Violetta appears on the arm of Baron Douphol, who challenges Alfredo to a game of cards and loses a small fortune to him. As the guests go in to supper, Violetta asks to have a word with Alfredo in private. She is afraid the Baron will be enraged by his loss and urges Alfredo to leave. Alfredo misunderstands her and orders her to admit she loves the Baron. Disappointed by Alfredo’s reaction, Violetta lies and confesses that yes, she does. Alfredo calls the other guests to gather round in order to denounce his former beloved in public and throws the money he has won at her feet. Germont, arriving at that very moment, expresses his disapproval of his son’s behaviour. The guests likewise rebuke Alfredo and Douphol challenges him to a duel.

Act III

Violetta’s bedroom, six months later. Dr Grenvil tells Annina that her mistress has not long to live –
the consumption has taken its toll. Alone, Violetta rereads a letter from Germont saying that the Baron was only slightly wounded in his duel with Alfredo, that Alfredo has heard the truth and is
coming to beg her pardon. But Violetta realises it is too late. It is carnival time in Paris and, the sounds of the revellers having passed, Annina rushes in to announce Alfredo. The lovers ecstatically plan to leave Paris. Germont enters with the doctor just as Violetta rises from her bed with the last of her strength. Feeling a sudden rush of life, she sways and falls dead at her lover’s feet.